Tree Falling: Directional Steering with the Back Cut
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- Опубліковано 7 тра 2010
- Daniel Murphy demonstrates that a tree can be steered with the backcut. Though this may seem like "common knowledge", there has been some scientific debate on the subject
GREAT VIDEO DANIEL, I’ve been FELLING tree s for
So for us laymen this means make sure your backcut is perfectly aligned with the hinge or you'll be in a whole lot of trouble. Great vid.
Great video, Daniel. I don't usually watch others' videos, but your title grabbed my attention. I didn't know there ever was debate on the subject. This is how I was trained 27 years ago, and have used the technique of "holding wood" whenever necessary ever since. Anyone who disagrees with the concept is merely opinionated or an "instructor" lacking true practical experience in the field.
I do this every time for practice. The way I see it, as it starts to fall, the thicker hinge pulls the tree to that side. More likely to have the trunk do weird stuff on you too, split, fly backwards etc.
Good, thought provoking video - I think most would intuitively know that making an offset back-cut would affect the direction of fall, but gets the brain cells working to think about how the hinge thickness, wood type, etc determines that. Well done Daniel.
Great videos fellas.
There are so many variables. The study mentioned was done on poplars, perhaps the most brittle tree, the demo on ash a very flexible wood.
Another factor is where is the weight? In relation to the pie cut? Bush guys have told me about spinning softwoods after the fall has commenced.
I believe them. I work in town and haven't developed much knowledge or technique in this area because there is little oppurtunity for application.
The vids from these guys are right on the money.
Daniel. POWERFUL VIDEO. Now you are talking about some serious stuff that really helps people. Now there you go! It's about time somebody sorted this out! Great Job!
Nice instructional video... Have you ever done any work on non-horizontal notches..? I seem to remember you could get a tree to fall in an arc, to miss overhead obstructions, and land underneath that obstruction.
Thanks Daniel, This is appreciated. In my experience I have observed directional steering with the backcut to definitely be possible. I just finished a project of removing 200 Avocado trees in the Fallbrook, Ca area - from 15-35' tall so I did a little experimenting to fell trees with various leans away from other trees, between trees, hit various marks, etc. Most of them did not require that much precision, and there were usually no targets so there was not much risk. Some of the trees and branches were small enough that I just did rip cuts, once I got familiar with how that kind of tree wood responded, how it would hold a little on felling, etc.. I have also done directional steering with bigger trees. I think what you have also proved is that you better make the back cut pretty close to exactly right when precision is required, or in the case that you somehow did not quite get the right direction on your notch, you could correct the fall with the backcut (saying you are not also using a tagline). at
@ProArborJim Excellent post. Thanks for bringing some clarity and I agree with the reasoning, however I think that not all fall to the back cut, rather than the notch. Ive seen trees wobble back and forth as they start to fall, like a tug of war going on between the notch and the back cut. Ive seem little corner s of the hinge cut off that dramatically effect the fall in certain situations and no effect of the same in others, etc, so there are still some questions to be answered
It all depends on the type of tree and the physical nature of the wood. Also the only reason that happened that way is because the Faller cut through the Holding wood on the one side. If you cut through the holding wood on the Hinge than the tree will be pulled to the side with the most holding wood.
When your clearfelling all day in a pro duction forest you are not to fussy about lining up your scarf in the exact direction you want the trees to fall. All done with the backcut within reason. Here in NZ if you cut 4 x loads per day for a skidder operation you were doing well in my day. Surely one of the best feelings steering a tree to the ground.
Good video,
@Apocalypsse good point, though this tree had a slight lean to the lay and a wide open LZ.. tough to get "in trouble" with any type of hinge. That said, I do need to make a beter example, brcasue I cut off too much of the hinge on this drop.
White pines seem to particularly prone to falling off the lay if the back cut is not even and straight.. I once nipped the corner off a hinge on a slightly front leaning big white pine, just so the bar would be long enough to make the back cut from one side.. Maybe cut 2" off a 28" hinge. Otherwise the hinge was straight .. the tree fell 5-10 degrees off the lay..
It would seem to be common sense that a hinge would have an effective drop radius depending on the trees center of mass(leaning). The more centered the mass, the more potential radius available to aim for. The final cut speed could also be controlled to preserve as much integrity and strength of the hinge as needed. Thanks for the post, interesting info.
i was taught that you can angle the bar slightly in the back cut up or down. if the tip of the bar is pointing up slightly the hinge will move the tree in that direction. try it, it works.
great video we do that at work too, here in california . it's always amazing work thanks for the video. now I can share this with people who say " show me " ....
Not sure what there is to say about this, but if there is any conversation to be had beyond "It's just seat of the pants when you're making the cut at the tree" regarding the reconciliation between the implementation of a tapered hinge used as holding wood for a leaning tree vs steering input while felling, I'd love to hear about it!
Brilliant demonstration. Thank you.